The Green Dress
by King Sirahk
Summary: Belated Christmas Story: Kaoru is working in Santa's Workshop today, in the ridiculous, notorious Green Dress. Ugh. Christmas. KK. AU.


Ugh.

Christmas.

It's not the Christmas shopping or the over played music or the cheap holiday decorations that some tacky aunt buys and puts all over the house or getting horrible home-made Christmas sweaters that Grandma makes as soon as Thanksgiving is over and has been 'secretly' working on it, even though you totally know that she's making that for you cause you get one every year. Even wearing them isn't bad, even though you get pictures made in them and they're sent to the entire family.

It's not the food, the small gift bags that you might get from your close friends before school is out for the holidays. It's diffidently _not_ the fact that you have 2 ½ weeks from school, it's _never_ the presents. Not even seeing cousins you haven't seen, heard, or talk to since you were five isn't why you don't like Christmas now.

It is that simple skimpy, deep V neckline, Christmas green dress that reached to the mid-thigh before flaring out into shredded triangles with jingles bells at each end. So every time you walk people notice. Topped with a matching hat and green and red stripes stocking, and red , you see what Kaoru's talking about.

She's been wearing this dress for the past four hours now, helping kids take pictures with Santa. Ugh. Screaming kids who don't want to sit in an old man's lap and having teenage and possibly some older men whistle as they past. Yeah, today has not been one of Kaoru's best.

But now was a time of peace. Its was lunch time.

Well…it was a time of peace. But now every male was staring at her, something she's not used to. Usually she'd be blushing but today she was ticked that small boys were staring.

She sat down in front of the large Christmas tree that sat in the middle of the food court. She could hear small children yelling, crying and talking to their parents about what they want for Christmas. Her fading headache was starting to pulse again…

"Wow," a voice from behind.

"Don't even say it," she snapped, looking back seeing her best friend, Misao with a tray of food for both of them. Misao's face was full of surprise and if she wasn't mistaken envy.

"Wow," she said again. "I heard over at the shoe department, but I couldn't believe it…wow."

Misao sat down with a stunned look, "Kaoru…" she shook her head, "why don't you wear things like this more often?"

"What?!"

"Yeah, you look gorgeous! I mean the V-neck shouldn't be so deep, but still!"

Kaoru looked at her as if she just spoke fluent Italian, "Excuse me?"

"Oh Kaoru, why do you take this as an insult?"

Before Kaoru could even respond she felt a pair of eyes, she turned to meet the eyes of a long time friend Sano, mouth open and wide eyed. Kaoru took a big breath and glared at Sano with irritation. Sano, realizing he was staring, moved toward the table keeping his eyes down from Kaoru placing his tray of food in front of him.

"That's why," Kaoru replied, looking sourly at Misao.

"Yeah…that was kinda of creepy,"

"Sorry Kaoru, but…wow. I didn't think…" He let out a whistle. Kaoru, if truth be told, growled.

"I'm sorry Kaoru, I know I shouldn't stare, but I'm not used to seeing you as female. Don't get me wrong you're a pretty good looking girl, but I'm not used to seeing you as such. You know…I'm used to seeing you as a sister! So it's odd to see you in the Green Dress," Sano took a deep breath but that didn't stop his eyes from wandering.

"The Green Dress?" Misao asked, one eyebrow rising a little higher then the other.

Sano at first was shocked, but realized that it was Misao, and Misao was a girl so she wouldn't know, "The Green Dress, is the dress that every twelve year old boy gets smacked in the face by his hormones, and they're screaming at him, 'Look Damnit!'. It's when young boys realize the figure of the woman. We can't help but stare! We've grown up looking forward to go Christmas shopping with our moms and grandmas, because we know, the Green Dress is there, waiting for us. It's our prize for waiting in line and going to store after store. So don't take it away from us!" Sano slam his fist on the table, getting caught up in his emotion, making Misao jump. But Kaoru wasn't fazed.

"You sound like a pervert," Kaoru said with a dull voice, "you also make this 'Green Dress' a life changing event."

"It is life changing," Sano exclaimed, his eyes met Kaoru's but quickly left and went down some.

"My boobs. No staring," Kaoru made the jester of pointing up, "Eyes up."

"I'll just look up at the ceiling," he sighed, "it's a very nice ceiling." He added

Misao grabbed a cheeseburger off her tray and handed it to Kaoru, "Here, eat something." Kaoru took the burger but didn't eat it.

Yahiko came up to the table with a curious look at Sano, ignoring the two females that sat across from them. "What are you doing?" looking up along with Sano trying to see what he was staring at, but found nothing.

"Trying not stare," Sano replied.

"At…"

"Kaoru."

'_Now he notices'_ Kaoru thought bitterly. Yahiko's expression was much like Sano's, just a little more creepy since the kid was nearly sixteen, and the fact that Yahiko's eyes drifted downward a little more quickly. Misao caught him; Yahiko turned his head in disgust, but blushing at the fact that he got caught.

"I wanna go home," Kaoru put her head down.

Misao comforted her friend, "Just a couple of more hours," She looked over to glare at the boys and to tell them off with something caught her eye. She gasped. Kaoru looked up at her a noticed the terrified face on her best friend's face, "What?"

Sano finally looking down turned in the direction of Misao stared and chuckled, "You didn't tell her?"

Misao shook her head.

"Tell me what?"

Yahiko snorted.

"Tell me what?" Kaoru repeated.

Misao laugh was shaky, "Remember when you told me to tell you when/if Kenshin came in today?" Kaoru went pale, "Surprise! He's here."

Kenshin, the best looking boy in the mall, at school, possibly in the city. Kenshin, the redhead at school, and some how best friends with Sano. He works in the same store as Kaoru, they often work the same nights and over a course of a few months Kaoru has obtained a very strong liking to him. Kenshin, a prefect gentleman is going to see her in this 'Green Dress' and more than likely stare. She may not mind as much, but still, he's going to be staring.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked Misao.

"I couldn't get anyone to go over and tell you! And you can't have your phone during work hours. I saw him over at the Wrapping for Charity area by my department; he was helping the old ladies that wrap presents for the less fortunate." That sounded like Kenshin, even on his day off he still comes in to help someone in need. That's one of his best qualities.

"What if he sees me?!"

"Kenshin!" Sano called, waving at him. Kaoru stared at Sano as if had turned to a turkey.

"What're you doing?" She cried.

"Calling Kenshin to come over here," He said shrugging his shoulders.

Kenshin turned toward the voice that called him. He noticed Sano and began to walk towards their table.

"You idiot! Now he's gonna see me!"

"I know that's why I called him," Sano smiled. Kaoru kicked him under the table. "Ow!" Kaoru stuck her tongue out at him.

"Hello everyone," Kenshin walked up and stood behind Sano, "you guys working too?"

"I thought today was your day off?" Yahiko asked, smiling at the fact that Kaoru was hiding from him.

"It is, but Mrs. Shuyo asked me the other night if I could help in the wrapping department," He explained.

"It's because of your pretty face, hoping to snag a few costumers," Sano snickered

"It's for charity Sano, they don't pay us unless they're giving us a tip, which I have gotten…a lot of," Kenshin pondered on this for a moment, and then smiled. Sano snorted back a laugh and looked over at Kaoru who was trying not to be part of the table. He gave her an innocent smile before turning back to Kenshin, "Sit down, I got plenty of food, I think I can share."

"Well that's very charitable of you," Kenshin said, pulling a chair that sat between Sano and Kaoru, he looking over at Kaoru, noticing her ignoring everyone at the table, "You alright Kaoru?"

She sat up quickly, placing her right arm over her chest so she could cover her exposed boobs, "Yeah, just…annoyed." She gave Sano a look, he pretended not notice.

"Yeah, working at Santa's workshop with a bunch of kids can get pretty tiring after the first hour," Kenshin said, grabbing a wrap off of Sano's tray.

"You saw me?" Kaoru's eyes went wide, '_Was he one of the whistlers?' _she wondered

"Yeah I saw you when I came in. I tried to get your attention but you were busy, and you looked irritated. I'm guessing from all of those admirers?" Kenshin smirked.

Kaoru stiffened, "Yeah…they're part of it."

Kenshin nodded in understanding, "I like you're hat by the way," he changed the subject, "I have like that expect it doesn't have red around the head and it doesn't have the jingle bell. I wear it every year for Christmas pictures" He took a bite of his wrap, always looking at Kaoru's eyes, never downward.

Kaoru smiled at this, pleased that Kenshin wasn't like the other guys that she's been dealing with, "Thanks, but I like the boots more." She held out her foot so Kenshin could see. He nodded in approval, "Yes, I do too."

Kaoru felt more comfortable, and relaxed a little, taking a deep breath. She didn't think about that doing so causes her chest to move up which causes attention. Before she could scold, Kenshin beat her to it.

"Eyes up," He glared at Yahiko, who was practically drooling. Yahiko, ashamed put his head down and didn't say anything. Sano looked away and muttered a 'Sorry' at Kaoru. Kaoru looked at Kenshin, "Thanks again." She smiled at him, he returned the smile.

"Hey Kaoru," Misao interrupted the sweet smiles with a nudge in the ribs, "our break is about over."

Kaoru grabbed her untouched burger, "I'll eat this on the way," she said to herself, "Well…you coming into work tomorrow?" She asked Kenshin.

"Yup, you?"

"All week," she replied with dread.

"Working in Santa's Workshop again?" he inquired.

"If Megumi comes in tomorrow I won't but if not, yeah I have to." She said sourly, noting that if Megumi had come in like she was suppose to, she wouldn't be in this dress. She hoped Megumi would be done with her Christmas shopping today.

"Well I'll see you soon," Kenshin smiled. Kaoru nodded and waved goodbye.

Kenshin always knows how to make her feel better without even trying.

"That wasn't to bad, now was it?" Misao asked, picking up on Kaoru's mood change.

"Yup, I think I can get through the rest of the day now." Pulling the paper wrapping off the burger, and took a bite.

As Kaoru and Misao walked away, Kaoru should have looked back to see Kenshin's face, which was now looking like every other male she's been dealing with.

Yahiko laughed, "Smooth talker."

Kenshin broke his stare, "Text Megumi and tell her not to finish shopping so she can have another day off." He demanded, before going back to watch Kaoru walk.

Sano choked back a laugh, "Why?"

"Because I wanna work in Santa's Workshop tomorrow," he stated, leaning back in his chair to get a better look at Kaoru.

The two other boys laughed, "You're just as bad as we are!" Yahiko snickered.

"Yeah, but I'm trained," he smirked.

"Hiko?"

"Yup,"

"So how long did it take you to get to the Wrapping table?" Sano asked.

"I got here thirty minutes early and I was five late,"

"Who told you?" Sano smiled really big.

"Seta sent me a picture; I ran a few stop signs here. I wanted to put the picture as my background, but she likes to play with my phone during our breaks, so I have it locked." Kenshin said watching Kaoru as she walked out of sight. He sighed.

"I wanna be two again,"

Sano shook his head and laughed, "Why?"

"Because it will be a better view up close then far away,"

Yahiko snorted.

"Wow," Kenshin moan, "I can't wait till summer."

Sano patted his arm, "Six more months."

"That's too long," he groaned.

"You have that picture," Yahiko pointed out.

"That is true," Kenshin nodded.

"And you know you could like trip into her when you're in Santa's Workshop. Accidentally of course," Sano stated.

Kenshin gasped, "You're a genius! I'd kiss you but that would be weird, so therefore I will reduce your debt. Now if you'll excuse gents I got a girl to stare at before I go wrap some more presents and then I have begging to do." Kenshin went in the direction of the Workshop with a slight hop in his step.

"See, if I keep my smart ideas up, I'll be debt free by summer!" Sano exclaimed.


End file.
